(April 2013): Optimise trial casting

MirkoBoeddecker

[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND][ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND][ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND] € We have spent the last few weeks evaluating our emulsions. To do this, we also had to produce larger test casts. After many experiments with ‘ink emulsion’ (gelatin coloured with ink), are we now ready to produce reasonable test samples so that results like the one attached above can be avoided in future? :ph34r: € Once these trials are complete, we will put the small dip-casting machine into operation and then, in theory, we could produce the first samples, which would allow third parties to get an idea of the properties of the newly developed Polywarmtone. € The emulsion work would then be complete. What is still missing is the layer build-up and the adaptation to a cascade casting machine (dip casting is no longer an option due to the discontinuation of Fotokemika). However, our small cascade is still in parts on pallets. The assembly will be expensive and take some time. We may therefore have to take a short break from emulsion research over the summer and get out the spanner. € Best regards, € Mirko

Rotti

Mirko, keep up the good work. The PWT was simply the most versatile paper; I’m already eagerly awaiting the new version. Fingers crossed. Best wishes, Rotti

AchimBauer

Hi Mirko, Is your little cascade still on the pallet? Is that a test machine for trial castings, or do you intend to do all the casting yourselves now? € Regards, Achim

Patrick

Hello Mirko, I’m still really impressed by your efforts to bring a new version of Polywarmton to market. As a lover of analogue photography, it’s important to me to be able to take beautiful photos with my cameras in the long term and print them on high-quality paper. Is there any way I could help you cover the development costs? For example, could FOTOIMPEX customers buy test material and contribute to the trials, or perhaps another similar initiative could be organised to actively involve future buyers of the paper in its development? A little, hopefully encouraging, side note: I am currently renovating a house in which a brand-new darkroom is being installed – perhaps a sign that some photographers take film photography seriously; hopefully many others share this attitude! Patrick.

MirkoBoeddecker

Hi Mirko, Is your little cascade still on the pallet? Is that a test machine for trial casts, or do you want to do all the casting yourselves now? ? Regards, Achim

? Hi Achim, ? It’s a test machine. Of course, you could expand a test machine like this, but it would then only be able to cast up to 21 cm wide, so it would only be suitable for film (up to 8x10). ? Best regards, ? Mirko ? PS: The Agfa K-caster is standing next to it on a pallet ;-)

MirkoBoeddecker

Is there any way we could help you cover the development costs? …

I assume you’ve already registered on www.polywarmton.com? … Selling test samples won’t work, as the production process is very laborious. However, if an underworked chemistry lab assistant happens to fancy a bit of a help, we’ve got a long list of experiments to work through ;-) … Best regards, … Mirko

AchimBauer

€ <blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Achim B." data-cid="16039" data-time="1366657877"> <div> Hello Mirko, Is your little cascade still on the pallet? Is that a test machine for trial castings, or do you now want to do all the casting yourselves? € Regards, Achim

€ Hello Achim, € It’s a test machine. Of course, you could expand a test machine like this, but it would then only be able to cast up to 21 cm wide, so it would only be suitable for film (up to 8x10). € Best regards, € Mirko € PS: The Agfa K-caster is standing next to it on a pallet ;-) € </div> </blockquote> Hello Mirko, € If the machine could be extended, even if only to 21 cm, wouldn’t that be suitable for small batches – perhaps 25 mm film or the revival of special materials such as Agfacontour for those keen to experiment? € Regards, Achim

Sandra

We may therefore have to take a short break from our emulsion research over the summer and pick up a spanner instead. … …

… My gaze wanders out of the window – autumn leaves on the trees – summer is over… … Mirko, do you have any good news from the Polywarmton workshop that might cheer me up more than this gloomy autumn weather? … Warm regards from someone hoping for a bit of encouragement … Sandra

sputnik

€ <blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Mirko Boeddecker" data-cid="16025" data-time="1366537066"> <div> We may therefore need to take a short break from our emulsion research over the summer and pick up a spanner. € € </div> </blockquote> € My gaze wanders out of the window – autumn leaves on the trees – summer is over...€ </div> </blockquote> € … Autumn is over. Winter is on its last legs. The rust remover should be starting to take effect now. Just keep turning the spanner every now and then and give it a go! ;-)

adophil

Wasn’t there talk of a short break? Well then. That aside, it seems nobody is an underemployed chemistry lab assistant—and, as such, willing to help out. It appears that the clocks in Bad Saarow and Baalin tick just as they do everywhere else, and that a day there is also only 24 hours long. So all that remains is to struggle to produce a well-researched paper that can stand up to critical scrutiny. ?

MirkoBoeddecker

The spanner is needed, but that’s not the issue at the moment. € Hundreds more hours of work have gone into the project. Unfortunately, without much progress. As soon as you solve one problem, another one crops up. Forte used to have 25 people in research, Agfa over 500. We have to manage this with half a man’s worth of effort or give it up, so we can’t guarantee a timeline. € The emulsions aren’t ready yet for us to use the cascade. € The gradation curves don’t match. At the moment, we could only reproduce what ultimately led to Forte’s demise: a paper with an incalculable risk of turning a pale pink :-( € Best regards, € Mirko

sputnik

Well, at least the project hasn't been put on hold. That's good to know. Fingers crossed